Multiple compartment box



Oct. 18, L1932. G. M. DUVALL ET AL v 1,883,632

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT BOX 4 Filed March 2, 192s 2 sheets-sheet 1 Illa Willms,

Oct. 13, 1932- G. M. DUVALL ET Al. 1,883,632

MULTIPLE COMPARIMENT BOX Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES Pa'rrzN'll OFFICE GEQRGE M.' DUVAIL AND JOHN L. ISRAELSON, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, .'BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO STEVENS WALDEN INC., OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION. OF MASSACHUSETTS MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT BOX Application ledMarch 2, 1928.' Serial No.'258,617.

The invention relates to mechanicsftool chests or boxes provided with multiple lcompartments and preferably made of .g sheet metal.. According` tothe invention the box is provided with a pair of compartments or trays .which may be locked together in contiguous parallel relation to form the cover of the box, andA which mayalso be swung outwardly. Each tray is supported by the sides of the box and is held from tipping to an inclined position' by parallel linkage ymechanim y e i j One object of the invention is toprovide a b'ox or receptacle of thisycharacter in which the covers of the trays may be opened irrespective of theposition of the latter with relation'to lthe box. 'Thus either or both trays may be opened while the main compartment remains closed,or either or both'trays may be o-pened fwhile the main' compartment, is

opened, and the'user of the box may pack or unpackv any one of thecomp'artments without inany way disturbing any oftheothers. Y A further object of the invention isto so connect the covers to the trays that, when the trays are opened, the covers will'hang straight downwardly. This is an advantage because, When'the box is used to carry heavytools and thev user thereof wishes to carry the box from place to place, Vhe may do so without replaci ing the covers in position `andwithout the necessity of holding the boxy at arms length away from hisbody; it being much Veasier to carry a heavy weight close to the person as everyone is aware.

f A further object of the invention is to provide a linkage mechanismwhich shall allow the trays to be moved inwardly'and outwardly without binding, and to force both ends of the trays to move together. To this end one or more rocker shafts are provided connecting one or more sets of the links provided for each tray, andi this effectively prevents binding or side motion. y f A'further object of the invention residesk in the arrangementof the covers for thevtrays whereby the trays may be closed and a single lock used to hold the trays together thus locking the main compartment at the` same time preventing access to either tray.

Other objects and advantageous features reside in the detailsfof construction which will appear from the following specification, taken `in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of the box showing'the trays in the inward position, the covers on thetrays being locked together.

Fig. 2 is an endelevation of the box showingthe left hand tray in the in or closed position but with itscover ofl, and the right.

hand tray swung outwardly but with its cover on.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 1, showing, however, the left hand tray swung outwardly with its cover hanging down.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawings. y

The box ofthe invention is particularly designed to be Vmade of sheet metal, the con-y struction being such that a rigid and highly resistant box may be formed out of thisnormally flexiblematerial. In the construction v of the box the constituent sheet or strip metal parts are preferably joined together by welding, which 'at once adds to the strength of thearticle and at the same time eliminates projecting screws and bolts. It will be understood however, that other inaterial may be used and other modes of assembling employed; that described nevertheless resulting in a box of great strength yat comparatively low cost.

Referring now to Figs. l and 3, a-pair of end plates l, l are provided to form the ends of the box,rand these are connected by a bottom plate 2. Preferably, and 'as shown, the end plates l, l and the bottom 2 are formed from a single sheet of metal which is bent upwardly to form said end plates, wings 3, 3. being folded over to reinforce the upwardly extending portions ofthe end plates l, 1. The sides of the box are indicated Iat 4, 4 and said sides provide bent over ends 5, 5 to facilitate the joining thereof to the end plates l, lY and also inwardly bent portions 6, 6 which arefastened to the bottom plate 2. vPreferably the upper `edges of the sides 4, 4 are beaded as shown in order to eliminate sharp corners.

till referring to Figs. 1 and 3 pieces of strip metal 7, 7 are fastened to the end plates 1, 1 inside the box, these pieces being of L shape in cross section. In order that the vertical portions of the strips 7 may lie flat against the ends of the box, irregular flat pieces of sheet metal 8 are desirably interposed in front of the end plates 1, 1 which thus make the ends of the box flush with the in-turned flanges 5, and serve to further reinforce the end plates 1, 1. The strip metalV pieces 7, 7 thus provide horizontal ledge portions 7a, 7a, which serve for the support of the linkage mechanism to be described and which also hold the supporting means Yfor the trays when the latter are swung inwardly. Upon the said ledge portions 7a, 7a, are welded, each end of the box, a pair of pivot brackets 9, 9 and an upwardly extending generally U-shaped ledge 10, these parts being made out of a single piece if desired. Overlapping the ledge portions 7a and fastened either to it or, as shown, to the side walls 4, 4 are a further pair of pivot brackets 11, 11 at each end of the box.

The box provides two trays 12, 12 which are of the same size and shape, although the connecting mechanism which connects them to the box are arranged symmetrically, that is to say, arranged in the opposite order. Each tray comprises one piece of sheet metal bent to form an inclosed rectangle such being indicated by the numeral 13; this-piece of metal forms both the end and the side walls of the box and is welded over on itself at 14. .The bottom of each tray 15 is supported by inwardly extending flanges 16, 16 of the side and end walls 13. Each tray has a cover 17 of the general form shown. Y

Each tray is linked to the box by a parallel motion comprising inner links 18, 18 and outer links 19, 19. The outer links comprise a total of only two members since they are integrally formed with rocker shafts 20, 20 which extend the length of the box, however, there are four of the links 18, since to provide these with a rocker shaft would be to seriously interfere with access to the main compartment of the box. The links 18, 18 extend through holes 21, 21 in the end walls of the trays 12; the links 19, 19 also extend through holes in said end walls and the bent l over` ends thereof constitute pivots 22, 22

for the independent movement of the covers 17, 17. rlhe covers are connected to the trays by means of links 23, 23, which are bent over at one end for pivotal vattachment to the ends 22 of the links 19 and at the other end are connected to the covers by integrally formed rocker shafts 24, 24 extending the length of the trays; these rocker shafts are attached to the covers by means of rounded over portions 25, 25 formed on the covers.

The box is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 with one tray in the inner position and another tray in the outer position; with one cover in closed position and the other cover in open position. It will be noted that the cover which is opeun extends downwardly in nearly a vertical plane, with the rounded over portion 25 that incloses the rocker shaft 24 resting on the beaded edge of the tray, and thus the cover is practically out of the way and does not cause the box to occupy an excessive amount of space. From an examination of Fig. 2 it will be apparent that either of the covers 17 may remain in this depending position even when the tray'is swung inwardly as there is nothing to interfere with it.

, Each cover provides one or more hook portions 26, 26, which, when the cover is on project through holes in the sides of the tray, these holes being indicated at 27 Fig. 1. When a cover is onits tray the turned over edge portion 25 rests against the outside of one side of the box as shown in Fig. 3; in order to allow the covers to swing to these different positions the pivotal attachment 22 thereof is arranged. atsubstantially a median position in the trays. One cover provides a plate 28 pivotally attached vto itby means of a bracket 29 and the other cover provides a staple 30, and when the trays are together and both covers are on, with the hookportions 26` in the hole 27, a padlock 31 may be used to lock the box andthen 'it is clear that no one can get at the inside of either of the trays or the. main compartment.. 4The box may be lifted by means of a quasi-tubular handle 32 which `is fastened to the endplates 1, 1 as shown andextends the whole length of theboxf j It will be apparent that we have provided a Abox construction which may be embodied ina very durable metal box, suitable for the heavy use to which mechanics tool'boxesV are subject. From a comparison of Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that access may be gained to either tray 12 or to the main compartment. When both trays are swung outwardly the light can reach every corner of the main compartment and the most irregular and clumsy tool may be removed fromy the main compartment as there. is practically nothing covering it. It will be noted further that the user ofthe box need only lift the trays beyond the center position whereupon they will be held in the outward position by the side walls 4, 4, and the linkage mechanism. `The provision of the rocker shafts 20, 2O practically eliminates any possibility of side `inotion in this parallel mechanism. rllhe details of construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention which is setV forth in the following claims.

VVeclaim: Y

1. In a box of the class described, the combination with a box body, a pair of trays, a

parallel linkage mechanism connecting said trays to said body, allowing said trays to come together to close the main compartment of said box o-r to be. swung outwardly to open said compartment, and covers for said trays, of links connecting the inner edge portions of each of said covers to said trays along a medial vertical line thereof, hook means integral with the outer portion'of the covers adapted to hook the outside portions of said covers to said trays, and means to lock said covers together, whereby, with 'the hooked portions in engagement, and the covers locked together, no access can be obtained to any part of the box, and whereby said covers, when unlocked, can be readily swung outward by a sliding movement.

2. In a box of the class described, the conibination with a box body, a pair of trays, a parallel linkage mechanism connecting said trays tosaid body, allowing said trays to come together to close the main compartment of said box or to be swung outwardly to open said compartment and ledges attached to the inside of the box body serving as a support for said trays when the box is closed, of covers bent-over ends on each of said rods pivotally connected to the sides of the trays along medial vertical lines, hook means integral with each cover along the outer edge thereof engaging with an opening in the side of the tray to secure the cover to the tray, and interengaging locking means on said covers to lock said covers together in closed position, whereby with the hook means in engagement andthe covers locked together, the trays resting on the ledges, no access can be obtained to when unlocked can be readily removed from the trays by a sliding movement and when so removed will hang .substantially vertically adjacent the outside edge of said trays and be supported along their upper edges by the U-shaped rods.

Dated this 28th day of February, 1928.

GEORGE M. DUVALL. JOHN L. ISRAELSON.

for said trays, links connecting said covers to f said trays, said links being pivotally connected to said covers at the inside edges thereof, and pivotally connected to the trays along a vertical median line, whereby said covers may be slid outwardly and when so moved will hang closely to the outside of said trays.

8. In a box of the class described, the combination with a box body, a pair of trays, links connecting said trays to said body, some of said links being pivotally attached to the trays on the end walls of the trays and approximately on the median vertical lines of said end walls, of covers for said trays, rods bent into U-shape and pivotally fastened tol l the inner edge of each cover by bending the cover aro-und the rod, and bent-over ends provided by said rods, the bent-over ends of said rods being pivotally attached to the ends of said medially located links adjacent the point f of attachment of said links to the trays, whereby to hold said covers to said trays, the covers being adapted to hang closely to the sides of the trays when removed therefrom.

4. In a box of the class described, the combination of a box body, end walls on said box body extending upwardly beyond the top of Said body, a pair of trays received between cover by bending the cover around the rod,

any part of the box, and whereby said covers 

